Hi! I didn't take before photos (D'oh!) but hoping to use these as my new starting point.

I'm asking what you think of my pores in these pictures? I've been using 2% SA (and a bit of ACV toner) for a while and wanting to get some feedback on the condition of my pores. Plugs have been coming out pretty steadily, but I still see what looks to be blocked pores. I'm wondering do most of them look pretty clear to you? What do you consider the overall condition of the pores? (not my skin with spots lol) Are they considered large pores? I'm 35 and trying to get my skin under control and hoping it doesn't look damaged/terrible overall from my previous cysts. I know it is hard to get a clear up close photo, but I did my best! Thank you for your feedback!

Are your spots blocked whiteheads? Mine look quite similar to yours my skin feels very lumpy to the touch and when I pop them a white seed comes out?

Hi! The red areas are indeed spots that I extracted. And yes, a hard little sesame like seed (plug) comes out. I have found that 99% of any spot I have (other than those small normal type pimples with a white top) have a seed. When I get cysts, they sometimes come to a head, drain and then will not completely heal until a seed is purged. Other times, if the cysts can be iced enough to reduce inflammation, a seed will come out and then the whole red area will go away. Not all seeds are from red spots--sometimes they just poke out of the skin and easily "scratched" off. Other times they are in blackheads and easily extracted. I believe if i can get rid of these plugs, I can reduce acne occurrence. I am using SA right now as it was suggested as a good way to clean pores. I still have oily skin, but my thinking is, if I have no plugs, then oil doesn't matter as much because it will flow out freely and not become blocked, leading to inflammation and bacteria, etc. Just my theory. lol

Do you get inflamed cysts with plugs like that? Or are yours just the plugs causing no problems?

Yup I have the same, lots of lumps over my face that when j squeeze a hard sesame seed comes out. It was so bad the mat 2 days I think my face had become to dry and oil production has increased causing it.
I've been using benzoyl peroxide I thought it was making It worse but I woke up today to find less of hen. It's still pretty bad I hate going into areas with more light as you can see there is something clearly wrong with my face

I have also been using glycolic acid but its not helped. I'm thinking of investing in Paula's BHA products.

Yup I have the same, lots of lumps over my face that when j squeeze a hard sesame seed comes out. It was so bad the mat 2 days I think my face had become to dry and oil production has increased causing it.
I've been using benzoyl peroxide I thought it was making It worse but I woke up today to find less of hen. It's still pretty bad I hate going into areas with more light as you can see there is something clearly wrong with my face

I have also been using glycolic acid but its not helped. I'm thinking of investing in Paula's BHA products.

Hi! Mine would come out every now and then, but I noticed more after a glycolic peel. Haven't done one of those in a long time. After using the acv toner and SA, they just starting coming up like crazy. I guess that is a good thing, though. My skin just turns red so easily and stays red for some time afterwards. I'm hoping to rid my skin of all those plugs and maybe I'll stop the big bumps from forming! I haven't noticed BP doing anything for my plugs and started using the SA after someone on here recommended it. I am currently using Diana Yvonne (skin biology) 2% salicylic acid at 3.2pH. They also have a 5% at the same pH which i am thinking about going up to. Then I may switch over to retinol to see if it will help with the oil production and also keep my skin clear and maybe remove the red marks.

I thought the SA would dissolve the plugs BUT from what I understand it only helps push them out of the pores. It apparently does not dissolve them. Too bad, it would be a quicker remedy I think if it would dissolve them! Then I wouldn't have to wait for them top make their way to the surface and hope they don't get inflamed on the way. lol

I just want someone to tell me excatly what to do and how long it will take to resolve. I hate this whole business of trying out thigs and seeing if it reacts with my skin. why is life so hard
I just want good skin and to feel confident.

I know I wish there was just ONE solution for everyone!! Would be so much easier! If you only have close to the surface bumps--not deep ones, I would think the glycolic would work. But you have to have the right pH for it to be effective. Do you know what pH level you had? Anything that will exfoliate the top skin, in my thinking, would then allow those blockages to come out much easier and keep them from forming the whiteheads. But, it won't keep the plugs themselves from forming because they can form deep in the pores. For that, you could do SA (at the right pH) to exfoliate in the pores and keep the skin from clogging (also supposed to exfoliate the top skin). I think mandelic acid does this as well, but I have not researched it thoroughly to be 100% sure. Retinol/Retrinal also clears out pores, but can cause irritation/inflammation. SA is supposed to have anti-inflamatory effects, but it hasn't kept me from sprouting angry bumps while it purges.

I use de la Cruz 10% sulfur ointment mixed with cerave lotion and it works pretty damn well at clearing acne. I mix a pea size amount of sulfur ointment with one full pump of cerave lotion. I apply that all over my face. I also like to use a 5% mandelic acid toner 1-2 times a week. I like the muac 5% madelic acid toner.

I think I like the mandelic acid more than SA products as I've tried a lot of them. I also did some jessner peels that work great on giant cystic pimples. I feel jessner peel are a good spot treatment for cystic pimples. Icing pimples really does help. I got rid of a giant cystic zit on my forehead by icing it for 20-30 mins for 3 days.